Geranium pour Monsieur (2009)
by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

Geranium pour Monsieur by Frederic Malle - One is initially treated to a bracing wave of camphorated mint and menthol, quite akin to a Tiger Balm odor, coupled with the lemony green smell of geranium leaf. Synthetic additives, such as anethol, with its anise character, floralozone, with its freshness, and rhodinol, with its citrusy floral dimension, all sophisticate the blend. This fresh opening spends a considerable amount of time wafting. A muted dusting of the concoction by warm cinnamon and earthy clove is feebly and fleetingly sensed, which strangely signals the beginning and end of the middle, if one exists. Thence, the incongruous base takes charge. White musk, with its soapiness, and sandalwood, with its soft and balsamic aspects, as well as sweet and faintly vanillic styrax and a touch of exotic incense forge an alluring base, while ambroxan imparts its velvety, skin-like, ambergris illusion. An inviting drydown ensures. One may choose to say this composition is unique, I prefer to say it is discordant. The projection and longevity for this/these scent(s) are average.

10th January, 2012.

OMG toothpaste for that price?! An interesting fragrance that may annoy some people, really needs approx an hour to settle down and enjoy, but the top notes did irritate me.

1st December, 2011.

Very long lasting fragrance (12+ hours) but is more of a close to the skin scent.

Starts with balmy mint, just like tiger balm and slowly progresses to a clean white musk. The incense, cloves etc is there, but is more or less muted.

I am not sure if this is a EDT or EDC, as on the bottle it only says PV is 5%, so perhaps the weakest Malle in terms of concentration?

This is a really good choice for a guy in suit and tie.
Just like Terre de Hermes in my wardrobe. Neither are my favourite but both has its purpose.

18th November, 2011.

It's easy to get fixated on the mint note. Yes, it is THAT distracting. But get past the minty tops and you'll find GERANIUM POUR MONSIEUR to be a smooth, bright yet confidently masculine scent that is unlike any I have tried before. The underlying tinge of bitterness, and a touch of incense make this one a winner but its overall synthetic vibe brings it down a notch for me.

Likely to be one of those fragrances that gets selected much less frequently from your wardrobe but when worn, makes you wonder why you don't wear it more often.

9th November, 2011.

Well, where to start from? First of all...
It happnes very once in while to find a perfume like Geranium Pour Monsieur. A complex fragrance construcetd on a solidly bold structure and expressing its beauty through a gentle and very discreet smell. As I'm usually not into mint fragrances, I got a bit disappointed by GPM's opening as it starts with a considerabole note of peppermint / mint that made me inevitably think about toothpaste or breath freshener bubblegum. But I was absolutely WRONG!!! Just right after the first drop of this fragrance touches your skin you immediately realize that mint is surrounded by a considerable dose of green bitterness that turns the whole thing to an odd (but absolutely interesting) mix of medicinal and soapy accords that are at the same time familiar and never smelled before (this is when geranium plays its part). A great example of how even a "fresh perfume" can be distinctive and absolutely compelling.

At this point I thought: "Ok, that's it! A great interpretation of mint!". But I was wrong again, as Geranium Pour Monsieur was just about to impress me even more with its multi facets structure. After the opening I just described be prepared for the drydown. A whole new scent. What started as a bitter mint composition turns into an incredibly outstanding finale made of a soapy and elegant cleaness that is as much delicate and discreet as it's light years far from beeing considered as inconsistent or generic. In this phase GPM stays very close to the skin but it remarkably catches your attention with its perfect balance between clean musks and resinoid incense. Simply marvellous.

The overall impression I had about this composition is of a complex semplicity. The same semplicity that makes of a single Alocasia leaf a fashinating and oustanding piece of natural art.
I'm so enthusiastic about GPM because I can still think that is possible to pretend a fresh perfume to be distinctive, unique and..melon or calone-free! Modern, elegant, solid, distinctive, versatile, classy, easy to wear, delightful, marvellous. Want more? Such thing happen not by accident but only as the work of genius!

29th April, 2011.

At first I didn’t like it. It was too strong of “I don’t know what.” But since it was recommended to me by someone in Paris named Laurent who works at Frederic Malle, and who analyzed a profile of my likes, habits, etc., I decided to keep giving it a go.

And you know what? Six weeks later I bought a 100ml bottle!

I love this stuff. It’s a great spring/summer scent that manages to not use a single floral. It doesn’t smell like anything out there I know, and I believe Ropion’s genius will soon become something copied by many in the industry.

Granted, the mint is a bit strong at first so I don’t like to smell my arm after I’ve applied it, but the way the sillage lingers (with an occasional burst every now and then), is beautiful; as is the dry down.

Now I don’t like to go into what a frag “smells like” to me because those associations are personal, different for everyone, and can vary depending on a skin’s pH, but it does evoke images of fresh mint, and mint based cocktails, to me.

Definitely not a blind buy, but something you must try more than a few times. Get a few samples, or better yet a small decant, if possible.

3rd April, 2011.